At times a person may wonder, What do others say about me? Do they really like me or not? When that is the case, there is a need for caution. The wise man advised: “Do not give your heart to all the words that people may speak, that you may not hear your servant calling down evil upon you.

It is unwise to become overly concerned about things that people say, taking their words too much to heart. Humans are imperfect and so may say things to others about friends and acquaintances that are not at all flattering to them. Solomon noted that a servant, who should be loyal to his master, may become vexed and call down evil upon him. So a person simply cannot take every remark seriously and allow himself to become upset about it. On the other hand, when comments are exceptionally favorable, this can have a bad effect in feeding one’s pride.

Why, then, get all upset about what others say by taking their words too seriously? Why even be unduly curious about what is being said? Whether favorable or unfavorable, what others say can unbalance a person if he treats it too seriously.